Photos: The Bill Pottinger Collection - Part 1

[Michael Clark]

The T190 was Lola's third 5000 but really the second design in as far as the 142 was an update of the 140.

In the UK, customers in 1970 could choose between the M10B McLaren - the update of the championship winning 10A from the previous year, the Surtees TS5A - another update, or the Lotus 70. I guess there was the Leda but that was a risky choice - so really the Lola was the only new design from a company with 5000 experience. I would guess that most 190 customers were either 'Lola people' (like Norinder) or those that weren't high enough on the Surtees and McLaren waiting lists.

As far a s a timeline is concerned:

1968 Formula A introduced in the US - the main purpose built customer cars were from Lola, Eagle, Le Grand and McKee. Fields were bolstered by converted USACs and various other stuff including one offs like the Sceptre

FA went to Europe in 1969 and was called Formula 5000 - it is perhaps the only time in history where America adopted Someone else's name for a category that they originally invented

Anyway, McLaren and Surtees introduced customer cars - only one McLaren M10A ever raced in the 69 UK/Europe championship with the majority of them going to the States. I think two or three TS5s raced in the UK but again most of a much smaller production run went to the States. The Eagle was updated but that was pretty much the end for US built 5000s at the sharp end of 5000 grids.

[GD66]

From the Bay Park thread...

Pierre Phillips in the Lola T140 leads this demonstration lap, from Rex Ramsey in the LeGrand Mk 7 : on the outside, Stew McMillan in "The Fat One" Eisert FA, and winner Ron Grable's Spectre HR-1.

Lola looks kinda scary with NO wings...

Edit : Sorry Michael, I must have been editing as you sent yours...

[Michael Clark]

That's it - Rex Ramsey in the Le Grand with Stew McMillan in the 'fat one' Eisert #5 on the outside and Grable's winning Sceptre wedge in behind

[John McKechnie]

I was told that Grable was one of the stunt drivers in "Bullitt"- turns out that he wasnt.

[Murray Maunder]

He was the original Formula A champion in USA, fairly solid performer but not in McRae's league IMHO.

Aren't black and whites great when done well?

[Michael Clark]

Murray, I thought Lou Sell was the original FA champion

[Roger Dowding]

Dunedin Driver Lin Neilson in the late 1960s at Teretonga Park near Invercargill. This is the southern most circuit in the world and is operated by the Southland Sports Car Club. He is testing his new lightweight Mini Cooper S.
That is one lightweight Mini, chopped roof, fibreglass front looks like a ' flip / lift one ' and looking like a " Minisprint " except the seams are still there, around the roof and down the front and rear as well, fat wheels on the front narrower on the back great stuff.

[John B]

Dunedin Driver Lin Neilson in the late 1960s at Teretonga Park near Invercargill. This is the southern most circuit in the world and is operated by the Southland Sports Car Club. He is testing his new lightweight Mini Cooper S.
That is one lightweight Mini, chopped roof, fibreglass front looks like a ' flip / lift one ' and looking like a " Minisprint " except the seams are still there, around the roof and down the front and rear as well, fat wheels on the front narrower on the back great stuff.

Is there meant to be an image with this?
Cheers, John

[David McKinney]

Murray, I thought Lou Sell was the original FA champion

Yes and no...

In 1965 the SCCA replaced the formule libre and FJ classes at its amateur meetings with three new classes, FA, FB and FC, the biggest allowing engines up to 3000cc. The championship was decided at an end-of-season event called the US Road Race of Champions, usually known as the "run-offs" in which the top guys from the various regional championships came together to decide the national title. So few big cars competed in the regions that first year that none in fact qualified for the USRRC

The same year the Formula Racing Association ran three races to the same rules, but it seems only the race at Continental Divide attracted any FA entries. Winner was Hap Sharp in a Cooper-Climax T53

The FRA seems not to have run races for FA cars after that, but there were was stronger FA competition in most regions in 1966. Harry McIntosh in a Brabham-Climax won the run-offs

In 1967 the USRRC winner was Chuck Kirkbride in a Lotus18, and in 1968 the title went to Ron Grable (Sceptre HR1)

Meanwhile in 1967 the SCCA had inaugurated its so-called Grand Prix Championship, a national series of five races in which FA, FB and FC cars ran together. The FB cars dominated, but it seems McIntosh (Brabham) was the highest-placed FA driver in the series

The folllowing year the SCCA admitted 5-litre stock-block engines to FA, and the GP Championship was won by Lou Sell (Eagle-Chevrolet)